HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

2 MACHABEES 15

CHAPTER XV.

Ver. 1. But. Read here 1 B. vii. 39. W. --- Samaria. Arab. "Sebaste," which is the same. Yet Judas was at Adarsa, in the tribe of Ephraim. C. --- Sabbath. The profane take advantage of people's tender consciences. But Judas being well-informed, fought on the sabbath. 1 B. iii. 40.

Ver. 5. Earth. O Luciferian blasphemy! W. --- He seems to place himself above the Lord of heaven. C.

Ver. 6. Public. Gr. "common trophy over all the men of Judas." H. --- Syr. "he fortified himself exceedingly." A trophy consisted of the trunk of a tree hung round with arms.

Ver. 10. Oaths, of which Eupator had lately given an instance. Apollonius and the people of Joppe had acted perfidiously. C.

Ver. 11. Not with, not only, or so much with, &c. H. --- Dream. He knew it was supernatural (C.) by God's light, as S. Joseph did. Mat. i. 20. W.

Ver. 12. Onias III. who had been slain (C.) at Daphne. C. iv. 34. H. --- The Jewish and Christian Churches never doubted that the saints interceded in the other world for the living, in whose concerns they take part. C. --- Prot. evade this text by denying the canonicity of the book. Yet the same is proved Gen. xlviii. Ex. xxxii. Jer. xv. Lu. xvi. Apoc. v. 6. 8. and 2 Pet. i. and we have a right to produce the authority of this book, as Origen, (18 in Jo.) S. Bern. (76 in Cant. & ser. 3. Nat. &c.) have done. Onias and Jeremias, in limbo, interested themselves for the faithful on earth, and no doubt the saints in glory will do as much. W.

Ver. 15. Gold, such as kings and chief officers of Persia used. C. --- Jeremias (xxxviii. 17.) had formerly dissuaded war: now he encourages it; as it also has a time. Eccle. iii. 8. W.

Ver. 17. Fight. Gr. "not to fortify the camp," (C.) or "remain there:" (H.) mh stratophdeuesqai. C. --- Grabe reads strateuesqai, "to act as soldiers." H. --- Syr. "not to trust in troops set in array, but to take courage, and to expose their lives, in this extremity, for their country and for the temple."

Ver. 25. Songs. Gr. "pean," sung in honour of Apollo. C. --- Before battle his aid was thus invoked, and he was thanked with songs after a victory. Grot.

Ver. 27. Five. Josephus has only 30,000. Ant. xii. 17. C. --- Presence. He had granted them victory. M.

Ver. 28. Armour, at the beginning of the battle. 1 B. vii. 44.

Ver. 29. Language, composing a canticle in Heb. or using such as had been written (C.) by David, &c. H.

Ver. 30. Shoulder. Thus his bust was set up. But the right arm was hung over-against the temple. v. 33. and 1 B. vii. 47. C.

Ver. 34. Blessed. Gr. "raising their voices, (M.) or looking towards heaven, praised the Lord, who had made himself manifest:" epifanh kurion. H.

Ver. 37. Adar; our February and March. The 13th was the feast, "of lots." Est. ix. 23. C.

Ver. 38. So. Read 1 B. viii. 1. where more on this subject is written. After other persecutors were overcome, the land was at rest, and the author adds this general conclusion. W.

Ver. 39. So. Gr. "if in a frugal and middling style, this is as well as I was able." H. --- Perfectly. This is not said with regard to the truth of the narration, but with regard to the style and manner of writing, which in the sacred penmen is not always the most accurate. See S. Paul, 2 Cor. xi. 6. Ch. --- The style was frequently left to their choice. H. --- Inspiration did not exclude natural acquirements. C. --- The author is not afraid of having said any thing erroneous, though he might be less polished, like S. Paul: imperitus sermone sed non scientia. But we, having now come to the end of the Old Testament, must crave pardon for any mistakes into which we may have fallen, in the execution of this work, which is dedicated to the English (W.) and to all his majesty's Catholic subjects, for whose benefit chiefly and for the sake of religion it has been undertaken. The many things hard to understood, which we did not wish to pass over, have swelled this work to a larger volume than was at first intended; larger, perhaps, than the purses of the poor and middle ranks, in the late hard times, could bear. But now the prospect is more cheering; and it is hoped that this profusion on a subject of such vast importance will be pardoned, particularly as we had also to comply with the desires of the more affluent, who repeatedly requested that the notes might be rather "more ample." As they that prepare a feast, and seek to satisfy the will of others, so we, for the sake of many, willingly undergo the labour. C. ii. 28. The variety of matter and of style may well be compared to a mixture of wine and water. v. 40. Yet our aim has not been merely to please, but rather to counteract the baneful influences of heresy and infidelity. T. Paine (Age of Reason, part 2nd) having touched upon a few difficulties in some of the books of Scripture, says exultingly: "I have gone through the Bible as a man would go through a wood, with an axe on his shoulders, and fell trees; here they lie, and the priests, if they can, may replant them. They may perhaps stick them in the ground, but they will never grow." Yes, they will grow, and brave the fury of tempests, because they have been planted not by priest, but by the hand of God. The Scriptures and the Church will stand and support each other till time shall be no more. The true faith has been preserved from Adam through all succeeding generations, and antichrist himself will not be able to destroy it. My WORD shall not pass away, says our divine Master. As we have repeatedly proved this assertion in the foregoing notes, which are already perhaps too copious, we shall refer the more inquisitive reader to the remarks of Dr. Worthington on the six ages, in the Douay Bible.

Ver. 40. Always. Gr. "only." H. --- Readers delight in variety. A middle style is adopted. C. --- But. Gr. "But as wine mixed with water is pleasant, and affords delight, so the preparation (or style) of a discourse pleases the ears of those who read what is collected. But here shall be an end." H.

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N.B. The Third and Fourth Book of Machabees, as also the Third and Fourth Book of Esdras, (which some call the First and Second of Esdras) and the Prayer of Manasses, are here omitted, because they have never been received by the Church. Ch.

END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT